Good evening, This morning I was joined by Bartels Science Illustrator, Jessica French, for a birding trip to Hammond Hill State Forest. It was disconcertingly quiet up there. I probably should not have had such high expectations, given how quiet this spring has been (a handful of very quiet trips to the Hawthorn Orchard) and how few night flight calls were recorded over our house in Etna. I’m still analyzing my night flight call data, but those data from May 3 through May 24 are concerning, to say the least. I have also read postings from VINS and notable Bicknell’s Thrush researcher, Chris Rimmer, making similar observations about his Mount Mansfield, VT, field site this spring (“disquietingly low” vocal activity and mist net captures).
Here are two checklists completed from our two, approximate four-mile, bushwhack walks this morning. Nice habitat. Few insects. Few birds. No ticks (but not complaining). Loop to SE of Star Stanton and Canaan Rd Intersection: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S57605395 Notably absent or low numbers of birds -- Barred Owl Red-bellied Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Least Flycatcher Great Crested Flycatcher Red-eyed Vireo (very low numbers) Winter Wren Wood Thrush Baltimore Oriole Mourning Warbler Hooded Warbler American Redstart Chestnut-sided Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Canada Warbler Scarlet Tanager (very low numbers) Rose-breasted Grosbeak Loop between Hammond Hill and Canaan Rd: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S57605776 Notably absent or low numbers of birds -- Barred Owl Red-bellied Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Least Flycatcher Great Crested Flycatcher Red-eyed Vireo (very low numbers) Winter Wren Wood Thrush Baltimore Oriole Mourning Warbler Hooded Warbler American Redstart Chestnut-sided Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Canada Warbler Scarlet Tanager (very low numbers) Rose-breasted Grosbeak Concerned, Chris T-H -- Chris Tessaglia-Hymes PO Box 488 8 Etna Lane Etna, NY 13062 607-351-5740 -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
